This is an archived article and the information in the story may be outdated. Please check the time stamp on the story to see when it was updated last.
It seems like people are constantly eliminating certain ingredients from their diet in a bid to feel and look their absolute best.
Although there’s still no quick solution that will work for everyone, these elimination diets can help get to the root of your problems–and might even result in some seriously beneficial lifestyle changes if you stick to them longterm. Although the most common culprits are dairy and gluten, coffee might just be next in line for ingredients you might want to consider skipping.
Keep reading to find out why!
When Andrew Cunningham, the founder of DailyPest, decided to quit coffee, he noticed an immediate improvement. For years, Andrew and his wife had been suffering from acne, which they thought was due to anxiety. However, in January 2020, they realized that coffee was the real culprit.
He explained, "After months of trial and error through different diet changes, quitting coffee has been what caused our skin both to clear up near instantaneously (within a month). From all the dietary changes We’ve made in the past (plant-based diet, no wheat, no dairy, no sugar except fruits) The only thing that finally made an impact on our skin was coffee."
"We relapsed in the midst of the pandemic for about 2 weeks, and all of the rough texture and excessive oiliness came back with vengeance. We then vowed to let it go 100%. It's clear that coffee was the culprit, and we will not be going back to it," he added.
Reena Sidhu, a lifestyle blogger, told SheFinds that she also noticed a change in her skin when she cut out coffee. However, her results were less instantaneous.
"The first week was the most difficult; I experience fatigue and feltvery sleepy. The second week I was so tempted and even had mood swings," she explained.
"In my third week, I found that I was able to fall asleep easily at night. I used to toss and turn at least an hour before falling asleep. As a result, I felt even tired and needed more coffee the next day. The cycle kept repeating itself, but since quitting coffee my sleep now is deeper, giving me more energy throughout the day."
She also noticed an improvement in her skin--and even started looking younger! "My dark circles are getting lighter. Plus, my teeth look much whiter now," she explained.
If you're experiencing skin issues similar to Andrew's or Reena's, coffee might be to blame.
Specifically, drinking caffeine could be interfering with your ability to get a proper night's rest, which can contribute to its fair share of skin issues--whether you're dealing with acne, dark circles, or premature aging.
Dr. Zeichner, an NYC-based dermatologist and director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital, told Insider, "Lack of sleep may interfere with wound healing, promote inflammation in the skin, and even lead to acne breakouts."
Dr. Jaliman, dermatologist and assistant professor of dermatology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, also spoke to Insider about how insufficient sleep can make you look older than your years: "When you don't sleep, your eyes are going to be redder [and] more swollen. You'll get dark circles under your eyes [and] your skin will look paler.
Plus, a lack of sleep might decrease your skin's thickness--leading to a collagen break down and a loss of skin elasticity.
Although coffee will affect everyone (and everyone's skin) differently, it might be worth eliminating coffee from your diet to see if you're someone who is experiencing the less-than-beneficial side effects of a daily caffeine dose.
